Perhaps no bus driver in the history of minor league baseball had such a bond with his team than former Harrisburg Senators bus driver Art Mattingly.

Mattingly, who drove the Senators from 1996 through 2010, joined up with Harrisburg shortly after retiring from 38 years as a truck driver. In his former career, the now 82-year-old Mattingly drove more than 4 million miles without an accident. His driving record remained clean through well more than 300,000 miles with the Senators.

Mattingly, who continues to drive for Wolf's Bus Lines, and his wife have four kids, seven grandkids and just last week welcomed their first great-grandchild. They live in Mechanicsburg.

The Senators switched bus companies a couple of times since 2010 and have employed numerous bus drivers since.

Q: What were some of your most memorable moments from actually being on the road with the Senators?

A: One time [in 1998] we almost had a fight in Norwich, Conn., between [catcher] Michael Barrett and [pitcher] Tommy Phelps. Closest I've ever come to seeing a fight on the bus, but it was broken up, and they were friends again soon after. ... In 2003 or '04, when Dave Machemer was manager, we were on the Pennsylvania turnpike heading west to Akron for our first road trip of the season. Temperature was about 33, 34 degrees, but it was just wet. No ice. We were moving along pretty good, and near mile marker 132 we got into a curve and locked up. There was a wrecker ahead that had been pulling a car, and it was disabled on the right shoulder, the car sticking all the way into the passing lane. Hit my brakes and went sideways. Then I saw a truck fitting to pass me [on the left], so I stomped the gas pedal to the floor and straightened out, but we were heading right toward the car. So I swung hard left, got us up onto three wheels, went right past the car, went back down and rocked back and forth a bit. Machemer yelled, "How in the world did you do that? You just saved our lives right there!" We still talk about it. Stopped at the next rest stop for some coffee.

Q: Did you have a favorite Eastern League city to visit?

A: We liked Portland, Maine, pretty good. The guys liked the L.L. Bean outlets, and we had a nice place to stay. Also liked going to Binghamton, N.Y., because once a year we'd try to take a day trip to Cooperstown to visit the Hall of Fame.

Q: Have you formed any lasting friendships with former players and coaches?

A: Oh yeah, a lot actually. Troy Mattes [pitcher with the Senators in 1999-2000 and 2003] for sure. He actually stayed with me for 29 days once before he was called up to Triple-A. Gave him keys to the house and car, and he would come and go like he was my son. And he was about my son's age, too. Another was Jeff Livesey [hitting coach 1996-97], who still sends me Christmas cards every year with pictures of his kids. Machemer and I still talk every once in a while. Recently I was out in the garden working, and he accidentally called me when he was trying to dial his wife!

Q: Can you describe what a typical non-travel day on the road was like for you?

A: I'd stay busy, that's for sure. Usually I'd take them [from the hotel] to the gym at 10 a.m., stay an hour, then come back. At around noon, we'd meet in the lobby, and I'd drive them to a shopping center until about 2. At 3:30, I'd take take the first batch of players to the ballpark, then come back and get the rest -- usually that day's starting pitcher and some others catching up on sleep -- around 5. I'd stick around in the locker room, then spend the first four innings in the dugout. Then I'd go up and sit with [radio broadcaster] Terry [Byrom] for two innings. By the end of the sixth, it was back to the locker room to make up some ice packs for the starting pitcher. Trainers taught me how to ice down starters. Lots of times I'd help the clubhouse attendance fix the food and set the table. After eating, I'd take the first group to the hotel, then come back 30-40 minutes later to get the rest, including the [coaching] staff. If there was a rainout or something, I'd take them to the shopping center during the day, maybe the movies at night. Whatever they wanted. They had my cell phone.

Q: How are you staying busy nowadays?

A: Seems I work pretty much every day. I was driving folks to and from the Gettysburg reenactment. We have trips to New York City. I drive the Shippensburg University swim team. Right now with the bus, the garden and yard work, I'm plenty busy. Not much time to do anything else. I hope to get two more years driving, then I'll give it up.